Used To, Get Used To & Be Used To

I used to study English every day, but it still took a while to get used to all the rules. Now I am used to English grammar!

Used to, get used to, and be used to are three verb forms with similar structures but different meanings. Students often get them confused because they look and sound similar, so explicit instruction that compares and contrasts these three forms is beneficial and appreciated!

Comparison Chart

1. Used To

Form

Pattern

Used to is always followed by a base verb. Note that used to follows normal simple past verb rules, so it becomes use to with the auxiliary verb did in questions and negative statements.

Usage

Used to is a unique expression in English. Its form and function are similar to a modal (i.e., it gives extra information about the verb and is followed by a base verb). Used to shows that an action was performed repeatedly in the past, but is no longer performed in the present. It is commonly used when talking about long periods in the past (e.g., childhood, school years, past job, etc.).

Examples

I used to eat meat, but I don’t anymore.

They used to study English every day in high school.

Did you use to play video games when you were a child?

My teacher didn’t use to give us any homework. Now we get homework every day!

2. Get Used To

Form

Pattern

Get Used To + Noun/‑ing Verb

Get used to is followed by a gerund (‑ing verb) or a noun. In this expression, the used to part will never change to use to. Only get changes to reflect the verb tense.

Usage

Get used to indicates that something is becoming familiar. Use this expression for a new habit or routine. Though it is possible to use get used to for both positive and negative experiences, it is more commonly used with negative situations (e.g., when something is difficult).

Examples

I am getting used to living with my new roommate.

Our new teacher quickly got used toour large, multicultural class.

They couldn’t get used to the noisy neighborhood, so they moved.

Has your brother gotten used to his new boss?

3. Be Used To

Form

Pattern

Be Used To + Noun/‑ing Verb

Be used to is followed by a gerund (‑ing verb) or a noun. Note that the used to part will never change to use to. Only be will change to reflect the verb tense.

Usage

Be used to indicates that something has become familiar. Use this expression when something is now a habit or routine (and has been going on for a while). Like get used to, it is possible to use be used to for both positive and negative experiences, but it is used for negative situations slightly more often.

Examples

She is used to getting up at 6:00 a.m. because she does it every day.

Is your friend used to the noise from the construction site next to her office?

The teacher wasn’t used to answering so many questions during class.

By this time next year, I will be used to living in Brazil.

Practice

Get your students to ask each other the following discussion questions to practice used to, get used to, and be used to.

What is something that you used to do as a child but no longer do now?

Name 5 things that you are used to doing every day.

Think of a time when you started a new hobby. Was it hard to get used to it? How long was it until you were used to it?

Imagine you have to move to a new city. Do you think you’ll have a hard time getting used to living there? How about another country?

What types of TV shows did you use to watch when you were younger? What do you enjoy watching nowadays?

Rodolfo says:

Jun 26, 2018 at 4:39 pm

Now this is the kind of material ESL could make some more of. You guys have covered Used to very well, with a section that explains what someone does NOW and used to do THEN; The next step would be to use Get used to, Getting used to and Be+Used to and make some activities that would promote using all of those in order to make sentences. Something like:
Alternative A: She wants to move to Canada, but it’s too cold in the winter.
Answer: She needs to get used to the cold winter.
Alternative B: She moved to Canada 5 years ago, but still struggles in the Winter.
Answer: She is getting used to the cold winter in Canada.
Alternative C: She has no more problems going through the winter in Canada.
Answer: She got used to the cold weather/She is now used to the cold winter in Canada.

Something like that would be very productive and make my students happy.

Sorry that I didn’t see this comment until today, Rodolfo! Great ideas. We’ve had a few requests for more materials with used to, be used to, and get used to, and we have some Grammar & Usage Resources in the works!

All of your sentences except the first one are correct! “I used to warm weather” isn’t correct. We have to use “used to” with another verb. So, for example, “I used to love warm weather, but now I prefer the cold” or “I used to swim in warm weather” are correct. Hope that helps!

Dave says:

Nov 08, 2017 at 3:35 pm

After searching up and down, right and left throughout the entire web, your explanation was the most simple and yet complete of all. Thanks a bunch
Oh, my doubt was about the structure of the interrogative form of “got used to”. I wasn’t sure if “used” remained in past or it had to be changed to “use” in present with the use of the auxiliary “did”

Ana says:

Jun 23, 2017 at 4:05 am

I love the chart. It was just what I needed to help my class get their head around this. Thanks. They came up with a great example to use with all three types: I used to drive on the right. When I came to New Zealand I had to get used to driving on the left. Now I’m used to it. I drew a little image on the whiteboard to help those having difficulty understanding the concept change from ‘used to’. We finished by changing these affirmative statements into negative and question forms and using them in pairs.

Rari says:

Aug 20, 2017 at 7:02 am

Hi Tani…. below “get used to”is conjugated to all the 12 tenses. Can you check and tell us the correct tense?
Thanks
I get used to
I am getting used to
I have got/gotten used to
I have been getting used to

I got used to
I was getting used to
I had got/gotten used to
I had been getting used to

I will get used to
I will be getting used to
I will have got/gotten used to
I will have been getting used to

Hi Rari, yes, your conjugations look good, except that in the second set, the first one (simple past) should be “I got used to.” I’ve changed it for you. Also, note that you can use “got” or “gotten” as the past participle, so “have got/gotten used to,” “had got/gotten used to,” “will have got/gotten used to” are all possible, and I’ve added them to your list. I believe that “gotten” is more common in North American English, and “got” is preferred in British English. Finally, the past perfect/past perfect progressive tenses are possible but rare with “get used to”—same thing with the future perfect/future perfect progressive.

I can’t think of a time when we’d use the simple present with “get used to” because the simple present is a repeated action and “get used to” is more or less one time. “Get used to” is just the base form of the verb.

But to answer your question, let’s compare “getting used to” and “got used to.” Yes, getting used to is continuous, so for example, if you were taking snowboarding lessons and had completed two of five lessons, you could say “I’m getting used to snowboarding” because you aren’t completely used to it yet. If you said “I got used to snowboarding pretty quickly because I took some lessons last year” it would mean that you’re now used to snowboarding.

Mary says:

Jan 21, 2015 at 4:41 pm

Actually, I would say that “I was used to driving to work” has more of a meaning of “I ‘used to’ ‘be used to’ driving to work”, i.e. I was comfortable driving to work in the past, but something happened recently and now I am not comfortable driving to work” OR if you are just telling a story completely in the past (I “was”…) and are describing your comfort with your driving skills (all in the past)—> “I was used to (“be used to” in the past) driving to work”

Thanks for your comment, Mary. Your second comment is what I was describing before (your comfort level in the past). But I didn’t consider your first comment, and it’s a good point! “I was used to driving to work” could imply that you stopped or something happened, and you’re no longer comfortable with it.

Abraham says:

Good question! Yes, the meanings are very different. “I used to drive to work” means that you drove to work every day last year, for example, but you don’t any more. Maybe now you take the train instead of driving.

“I was used to driving to work” means that when you drove to work every day, you were comfortable and familiar doing so. Maybe someone asked you, “Didn’t all the traffic stress you out?” and you said, “No, I was used to driving to work”, meaning that it didn’t bother you.